Three-Dimensional Sheath Inked Rapid Acquisition with Refocused Echoes Imaging (SHINKEI) MRI for Delineating the Intraparotid Facial Nerve Branches and Their Anatomical Relationship with Parotid Tumors

Background: Accurate imaging of the anatomical relationship between intraparotid facial nerve branches and parotid tumor can be helpful for surgical planning effective protection during surgery. Three-dimensional sheath inked rapid acquisition with refocused echoes (3D-SHINKEI) is a new MRI sequence high tissue contrast resolution, which has been used peripheral nerves in several organs. Objectives: To evaluate value 3D-SHINKEI representing their neoplasms gland. Patients Methods: Thirty-six patients tumors underwent 3D-T2-fast field echo (3D-T2-FFE) sequences coronal plane. The contrast-to-noise ratios (CNRs) signal intensity (SIRs) two were compared. was also analyzed 36 patients, results compared intraoperative anatomy postoperative pathological findings. Results: image quality score representation significantly higher than that 3D-T2-FFE (Z = −6.197, P < 0.01). SIRs CNRs SHINKEI images as to (t 10.772, 0.01 t 11.586, 0.01, respectively). delineation accuracy main trunk its first-level (P Besides, classified into six types. Conclusion: A high-resolution could accurately represent gland neoplasms. It found more accurate sequence.